App Developers Tilt Toward iOS

Developers are more inclined to tinker with iOS than with Android, preferring its simplicity. However, that could change in the foreseeable future. As iOS becomes more fragmented, concern over Android fragmentation appears to be waning. Android use is on the rise, and Android market share is "creeping up," noted Mercury Development CEO Josh Greenman.

By Vivian Wagner
Jul 25, 2012 9:29 AM PT

A survey of more than 3,600 Appcelerator Titanium developers has revealed that they would rather develop mobile apps for iOS than for Android.

iOS led Android by 16 percent in the
Appcelerator/IDC Q2 2012 Mobile Developer Report. Fifty-three percent of the respondents believed that iOS was winning in enterprise app development, whereas only 37 percent believed Android was. The survey's numbers for consumer app developers indicated a similar preference for iOS.

The preference for iOS actually begins with clients and consumers, not with the developers themselves, said Nathanial Trienens, director of mobile for
Fuzz Productions.

"We develop whatever we're asked to develop," Trienens told TechNewsWorld. "Our clients are making decisions about what apps they want, and our clients are more inclined to choose iOS apps over Android, [since there are] higher download and adoption rates for iOS apps."

In short, developers adapt to enterprise and consumer demand, rather than trying to predict it, said Trienens.

The Problem of Fragmentation

This survey's results represents a change from the third quarter 2011 report, which showed the two platforms were about equal in developer preference.

The simplicity of iOS seems to be the primary driving force behind app developers' preference for this system. Some of the reasons for Android's second-place status, according to respondents, include its multiple operating systems, multiple device classes, and multiple languages.

"The fragmentation of the Android platform is challenging for developers," explained Trienens. "With Android, you have to accommodate a wide array of devices. It's when you try to be backward-compatible to all these Android products that you run into problems."

Change in the Air

However, the erosion of interest in Android has slowed, the survey suggests, meaning that there might be a turnaround in Android development in the future.

"The growth of our Android division is greater than our iOS," said Trienens.

Android devices tend to be more affordable than iOS devices, the survey notes, pointing to the recent growth in Android device shipments.

Another contributing factor to a possible turnaround is the fact that fragmentation is no longer limited to Android.

"The more products Apple puts out, the more we have to accommodate different devices," said Trienens. "Apple is becoming a bit more fragmented as well, though it is a bit more of a consolidated set of devices with iOS."

Android is gradually gaining back some of its market share, according to Josh Greenman, president and CEO of
Mercury Development.

"Fragmentation in the Android platform is not as much of a concern as it used to be," Greenman told TechNewsworld.

Android use is on the rise, and Android market share is "creeping up," he said.

Other factors that might shift the balance and change the app landscape in the future include Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility and the potential of Windows-based mobile devices.

One thing that's certain, according to Greenman, is that the app market will continue to expand, regardless of platform.

"The number of devices increases every day," he said. "There's still a tremendous opportunity for growth in the smartphone market, and that will continue to increase. Every smartphone sold is another opportunity to sell an app."